AFUL Explorer

Quick Disclaimer: This is now my 11th review and as always I still consider myself a beginner with a fair amount of knowledge in audio equipment particularly in IEMs, all these thoughts are my own and I did not read or watch any reviews prior to this one. Although Sir Mars did give a short overview on the sound quality that these sets bring to the table when passing it to me for review , I will still give my own thoughts and opinions.

Thank you so much to HIFIGO for sending the AFUL Explorer to our local community for a review tour! We look forward to working with you and to more reviews in the future!

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So let's begin.


AFUL is a brand/manufacturer that I have never heard of before and upon doing a little bit of research about the company, they started back in 2018 and since been developing new audio technologies as the years go by. The name AFUL is a play on the words “At Full” and in their website, they stated that they are dedicated and use all means necessary to achieve the perfect sound(I just paraphrased this one but still has the message AFUL is conveying). What I have with me is the Explorer and look at the basic product details in their website. The reason why these 119.99$ IEMs are called the Explorer is because they want to have that “limitless exploration” vibe they’re going for. But does the Explorer go infinity and beyond? Yes and also no, more on that in the review later.

First glance at these beautiful IEMs, I immediately knew that these would have a premium quality; the faceplate has a stunning galaxy-like design with the gradient blue and black colorway while having the words AFUL and EXPLOERER printed on chrome lettering. The shell seems to have this resin type moulding which is also similar to the JUZEAR Butterfly 61T shell but the Explorer is just a bit smaller than the Butterfly. Moving onto the interior, this IEM features a Single Dynamic Driver with two Balanced Armatures that focus on both the mids and highs in audio. I also find that both the QOA Mimosa and AFUL Explorer both have an outer space aesthetic which I like.

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UNBOXING EXPERIENCE


If you handed the box to me and told me it was a phone, I would 100% believe you. The orientation of the box is landscape rather than the usual portrait but despite that the packaging is quite simple and still follows the space theme that the Explorer is going for. The outer sleeve has a nice blue galaxy design in the front while both sides just have AFUL printed. Flipping the box over, we get to see the different specifications of the Explorer; sad to say that there is no frequency graph present to give the customer an idea of the sound signature that it gives.

Removing the sleeve and lifting the inner box shows the following:

• The Explorer IEMs
• Carrying/storage case
• Premium Flexible Cable
• 2 sets of Wide Bore and Balanced Ear tips

What I really like the most of the accessories are the ear tips, the wide bore ones have a nice dark blue that is similar in color as the shells of the Explorer which really compliments it very well and makes it more aesthetic. The second thing I would like to mention is the quality and texture of the carrying/storage case, it has a nice leather-ish exterior while having a very smooth and velvety interior. Lastly the build quality of the cable is very premium yet also flexible, never has this cable given me problems with flexibility and comfort.


The cable also has shiny chrome pieces which paired with the silver shine of the cable gives it a more expensive presentation but that is not the case. My only nitpick on these chrome pieces is that there are smudges that occur overtime and even with a lot of cleaning and wiping, these smudges never seem to go away. One more thing though is that the sleeve of the 4.4mm jack tends to slide right off, this does not destroy the cable but it does get in the way when trying to pull the cable out of the 4.4mm jack socket.

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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

The driver configuration of the Explorer consists of a single dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures that handle both the mids and the highs. Honestly this impressed me since there is a dedicated driver for the low, mid and high frequencies, with that said the overall sound profile of these IEMs are both warm and slightly dark. Because of the shape of the shell and with help from the silicone ear tips, the Explorer has provided a very nice fitment to my ears, although there is a bit of a pressure build up which can get a little bit annoying when removing the IEMs.

Vocals are airy and very relaxed. There was no audible distortion nor did I hear any muddiness to them. The two balanced armatures are doing their job by really bringing out the vocals and instruments. Both male and female vocals are on point having a bit more intimacy and emotion. Instruments have good separation and clarity giving a much more enjoyable listening experience, no bleeding has occurred especially during high energy songs and the strums and strikes are also on point.

In terms of sound staging, these are quite wide; I would also say that these are very holographic IEMs which is definitely a huge plus if you are listening to music that is mainly opera or when you’ll be doing some competitive gaming, it does pick up even the slightest noise and precisely tells you where that noise is coming from. It also has good imaging and depth.

Last but certainly not the least is the bass. Since the single dynamic driver only focuses on the low frequencies, what I can only say for the Explorer is that it has a pleasant mid-bass punch, the texture is very smooth and in terms of delay, it is quick; on the other side of the spectrum, the sub-bass is very rumbly but not to the point where discomfort occurs when listening to music but do keep in mind that these IEMs are capable of delivering a very punchy mid-bass and lots of rumbling sub-bass so pick your song wisely.

Overall, I really love these IEMs and the tuning that comes out of the box. It is a mixture of both beautiful and airy vocals with great clarity on the instruments and the sound staging, imaging and depth while also delivering a satisfying punch to the bass and rumble of the sub-bass. So do these IEMs really go infinity and beyond? Yes and no. The reasoning behind this is that while the Explorer is a very impressive IEM not only for a price point of 119.99$ but also the sound quality it brings to the table. I still do feel like the Explorer can be improved upon such as adding more balanced armatures to further bring out the instruments; but one of the best features about the Explorer is having two balanced armatures that will focus on only the mids and highs.

Blup blup 𓆟 and happy listening!

Aful Explorer, my short review
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This was sent to me for a review as part of a review tour in my country conducted by Hifigo online audio store. Thank you, Hifigo.
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The Aful Explorer (119 USD) is a hybrid IEM with a driver complement of 1 x dynamic driver and 2 x balance armature driver.
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The packaging is good and easy to open; it includes a 4.4mm cable, which is also available in 3.5mm version as an option during purchase, two sets of eartips, a carrying pouch, a manual, and the IEMs themselves.
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The Iems are medium in size, not heavy, and are made of resin. They seal to the ear canals very easily when used with the stock eartips; I didn't experience any pressure buildup or any discomfort while using them; they are very comfortable to use.
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Power handling and sensitivity:
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The Aful Explorer has no issues taking a lot of power; it sounds clean at loud volumes.
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Sound signature:
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This is a neat neutral bassy-sounding set; the subbass is elevated, but the midrange and treble are very neutral. I occasionally detect the bump in response in the upper midrange on some songs, but generally it is nonfatiguing. The treble is extended but remains neutral. The overall tonality is very good for warmish neutral sound lovers.
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Technicalities:
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The soundstage size is big, but not the biggest I've heard at this price range. The imaging is nice, but not the most defined I've heard at the price range. The detail retrieval is good, but not the most detailed I've heard at the price range. I can hear nice amounts of micro details. The energy presentation is average.
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Compared to QoA Mimosa (99 USD):
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The QoA Mimosa is a hybrid of a single dynamic driver and a single 6mm microplanar driver. The Mimosa is less neutral and more v-shaped in sound signature, giving it a more energetic vibe. The Mimosa has a slightly higher resolution but also sounds brighter in the treble that it might cause listeners' fatigue on treble-sensitive people. The Mimosa has more mid-bass, but they are about equal in sub-bass quantity.
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Compared to NF Acous NM20 (115 USD):
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The NF Acous NM20 sounds much brighter in the treble and punchier in the bass; it has a more vivid and energetic sound presentation compared to the Explorer; it also has a slightly better technicalities. For neutrality, I would pick the Explorer, and for fun, the NM20.
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Pros:
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Bassy but neutral sound presentation.
Extended and gentle-sounding upper treble
Smooth overall sound
Non- fatiguing
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Cons:`
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The metal cover on the 4.4mm plug in the cable came off due to the internal of the plug being made of melted plastic and not fully metallic like most plugs.
Not for people who like energetic and contrasty sound signatures.
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Conclusion:
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This is a very versatile sounding set due to its relatively neutral and warm sound signature, but it is also not for everyone, especially people who like their sound contrasty and energetic. Overall, a good-sounding set that deserves more attention than it has been getting.
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Happy listening! Cheers!
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Non-affiliated purchase link:
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https://hifigo.com/products/aful-ex...LLv0fvtBGJj9hHGSsxFwlfFWgor3x3SUhqAuWzLeiN18s


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Audio Geek Türkiye Group; Sent to me within the scope of Türkiye Tour
I will write my experiences and notes for Aful Explorer. Many thanks to them for providing this opportunity.


Explorer, the latest product of the Aful brand, has a hybrid structure consisting of
1 dynamic driver (DD) and 2 balanced armature (BA) drivers.
The Explorer aims for a bit more bass performance and technical prowess.
In this review, I will try to write about the sound signature and technical capabilities of the Explorer.



Technical Specifications:
Driver Structure:1 Dynamic Driver +2 Balanced Armature Driver
Impedance: 26Ω ± 10%
Tip: 3.5mm or 4.4mm
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 30kHz
Cable Length and type: 1.2m 2-Pin (0,78mm)


What's Offered in the Aful Explorer Box:
The glittery items themselves on midnight blue
0.78 mm 2-pin silver-plated cable
3 pairs of White Silicone Tips (S,M,L)
3 Pairs White-Blue Silicone Tips (S,M,L)
2 Pin (0.78mm) Silver plated 4.4 cable
Nubuck Carrying Bag
Warranty documents




Resources Used
Btr 7 Hiby R4 Fiio K3

Comfort: The box design is decorated with galaxies and stars and is named explorer,
based on exploring space, to match its name.
We see this design language on the iems as well.
The galaxy design is revealed by decorating the dark navy blue with glitter and it looks very cool.
The shells are quite ergonomic. It fits very comfortably in the ear.
It does not tire the ears when listening for long hours.
The silver-plated cable is soft and never gets tangled. It extends up to 4.4 ends in a double helix.
The round carrying bag made of nubuck looks very stylish.


Bass: This is the part where AFUL Explorer is ahead of the other frequencies they offer us in the bass section.
It feels controlled, but its extension can be bland in some parts.
It has a soft extension without crushing other frequencies.
It is starting to show its potential in a more Hiphop style,
But it is not at a level where we can say that's it.
It does a slightly better job with very balanced and polite sub bass.

Mid:Since the extension of the bass does not have a hard texture and has a smooth transition, the mids are a little more
It remains in a free space. It is a little darker and the male vocals are felt a little ahead.
Female vocals sound a little more natural. While the resolution is good, the details are close to good.


Treble: Due to the overall dark structure of the headset, it needs to have a little more shine.
It exists at a certain level, but its movement is limited and you feel areas where it needs to go up or extend.
Although it is quite reasonable for those who do not like trebles, some problems may arise for those looking for mids and details. However, it provides comfortable listening without tiring.


Conclusion: The Explorer is very stylish and eye-catching with its design and
is in this segment with its quality cable and bag.
It is a suitable option. It is a great daily use with its light structure and fit.
With its warm, detailed and satisfying bass that adapts to every music genre.
is also recommended.